B-Company, 417th Regiment Veteran Added Alongside His Brother in Arms!

Technician 5th Grade Jack F. K-O-U-N-T-Z was born on Thursday January 10, 1924 in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Bloomsburg High School in 1941. Following his education, Jack enlisted in the United States Army on February 4, 1943. Upon his completion of basic training, he was assigned to B-Co, 417th Infantry Regt, 76th Div. He served in all three combat campaigns with his Co and upon the cessation of hostilities was discharged on December 5, 1945. Through most of his adult life, Jack was employed by Sylvania Electric Products Inc. in both South Williamsport and Montoursville. He passed away never marrying in December of 2012. He was an avid animal lover especially his cocker spaniels and his cat "Dusty"

This uniform comes with a beautiful set of felt T/5 insignia and gorgeous pinback 417th Regt DUIs.

He joins the 76th lineup with SGT Krauter also with B-Co!

An Intelligence & Reconnaissance 301st Combat Engineer Officer Out of the Woodwork

1LT Arthur C. M-c-G-O-W-A-N was born in 1923 in the New York City suburb, Westchester. He grew up in a middle class family and was enrolled in Yale University in 1940. He was a member of the Glee Club, was an actor, and also an avid soccer player with the school. He enlisted voluntarily at Fort Devens, Mass in February of 1943 and he began his Army journey which culminated in him getting commissioned as an engineer and joining the 301st Engineer Combat Battalion, 76th Division at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin as the battalions Intelligence Officer. He served 3x campaigns in the ETO with the 76th and came home to find love in an Olympic figure skater and married her in 1950. He passed away in 2003 in Arizona. This uniform was found by H.R. Curtis in a Tucson Army surplus store and I can’t thank him enough for helping me snag it!

It is 200% all original and I am in love with the 301st DIs over the green combat leader stripes.

He served in the New York National Guard after the war in the 77th Division and the last ribbon is for being a member of the Society of Military Engineers!

 

 

A Family Service of Sacrifice; A 901st FA Bn NCO That Lost a Brother in the 17th Airborne

Robert W. C-R-O-L-L was born on December 7th, 1941 in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. He raised his right hand in July of 1942 and received training as a Field Artilleryman at Fort Sill, OK. He was then assigned to HQ Battery, 901st Field Artillery Bn in the 76th Division.  Robert deployed overseas on December 9th, 1944 two days after his 23rd birthday. He served in all three campaigns that the 76th Div received credit for. In late August of 1945 the 76th Division was inactivated and he was transferred to the 30th Division (along with my Grandfather) for combat in the PTO. Fortunately, that day never came and the 30th sailed back to the United States. 

Interesting enough, Robert moved back to La Crosse, Wisconsin after the war. La Crosse is the location of Camp McCoy which is where the 76th completed their combat training and maneuvers that he was a part of. 

Robert passed away in July of 1998 at the age of 76. He is buried in La Crosse.

His, brother Daniel W. C-R-O-L-L, 4 years younger than Robert, also answered the Nation's call and enlisted as a Paratrooper that served in the 194th PIR, 17th Airborne Division. He was killed in action on January 7th, 1945 and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart Medal for his sacrifice.

B-Co, 417th Regiment Veteran Uniform Grouping Acquired

SGT Donald W. K-R-A-U-T-E-R,born May 17, 1923, in Bucyrus, Ohio, the eldest of four children of Paul and Mabel. Following his 1941 graduation from Bucyrus High School, Donald studied engineering at Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland. His studies were interrupted by the war during which he saw active duty with the Baker Company, 417th Regiment, 76th Division in Europe. On June 29, 1947, he and his wife were married in their hometown of Bucyrus. In 1948 he completed his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and began his career in Schenectady, with General Electric's Steam Turbine Generator Division. Throughout his 39 years of service with GE, Donald worked in steam design and application engineering, as well as product planning and market research. He retired in 1987 and passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on July 27, 2016,

This uniform grouping was ID'd by just his laundry mark. I was fortunate enough to obtain not only his jacket with original collar brass but also his service trousers. 

385th Regimental Officer Wounded in Luftwaffe Strafing

1LT Ralph S. S-E-N-D-E-R-S was born in Oregon in 1917 and upon graduating from college, entered the family insurance business. He commissioned as an Infantry Officer in in 1943 and attended the Motor Transportation Officer course immediately after. He stayed at Fort Benning as an instructor in the automotive section of the academic department. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in April of 1944 and joined the 385th Regimental Headquarters prior to the unit departing for England in November of 1944. He served honorably in the ETO until April when he was wounded 30 miles west of Leipzig, Germany. The 76th Division was getting ready to fall in behind a tank column to advance and Lt S-E-N-D-E-R-S was sent up ahead to determine when to move. He was sitting on a tank writing a letter to his wife when an American plane appeared. The plane was "chasing" a German fighter when suddenly it made a dive at the tank column and opened fire. The concussion from a 20mm shell threw Lt S-E-N-D-E-R-S from the tank and he crawled 25 yards to a wall where he was picked up by the medics. He was not his by the shell fragments but the concussion injured his eye which required considerable treatment in several hospitals. The American plane that performed the straffing run was shot down shortly after and was manned by a German Luftwaffe pilot.

He lived out his final days in Santa Monica, California and passed away in 2007.

304th Regiment Communications Sergeant Grouping Obtained

Robert Elwin A-S-H-C-R-A-F-T was born on September 23, 1923 in Clearfield, PA. He graduated from high school in 1941 and attended Penn State University until he enlisted in World War II. After graduating from basic training he was assigned to L-Company, 304th Regiment, in the 76th Division where he was the Company Communications Sergeant. He saw action in all three of the 76th's campaigns witnessed the horrors of war in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Germany. In 1948 he graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology and in October he married his wife Barbara and moved to West Hartford. He passed away peacefully on March 17, 2017

This jacket has a beautiful bullion 3rd Army patch and a rarer theater made 76th example. Also attached are the green combat leader stripes, a combat troop's unofficial mark of, “I’m not with the rear echelon”

385th Regiment PH Recipient Uniform Grouping

PFC Sanford M. F-O-S-T-E-R was born on December 20, 1918 in Maine. He enlisted in the Army on August 3, 1942 and upon completion of basic training he was assigned to F-Co, 2nd Bn, 385th Infantry Regt in the 76th Division at Fort George G. Meade. His military occupation was a messenger. He has the distinction of being one of the first 385th Regt men to be wounded in action having been hit in the initial river crossing from Luxembourg in to Germany on February 9, 1945.
He went on to serve in all three campaigns with the 76th and remained in theater on occupation duty until being shipped home in early 1946. He was ultimately discharged honorably on January 12, 1946.

He lived in Maine his entire life and passed away in 1977.

This grouping came with his laundry marked jacket, tie, pants, and two garrison caps. It is of special importance to me as this was my Grandfather’s BN during the war! Thanks for looking!